The owner of a New Orleans-based shoring company faces up to 20 years in prison after admitting to a scheme to launder money earned by harboring illegal immigrants. Ramon Santos, 43, of Kenner, and his company, Rendon Construction LLC., pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's Office.

U.S. District Court Eastern District of LouisianaMichelle Hunter, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

Santos admitted to hiding his illegal proceeds by cutting checks to a shell company, checks that he later cashed and used to pay undocumented workers at his jobs sites, according to court records.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security began investigating Rendon Construction in the summer of 2011 with help from the Internal Revenue Service, the Louisiana State Police and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. Investigators discovered the company was employing undocumented workers after conducting surveillance on several work sites, court records said.

When questioned by investigators in August 2011, Santos said he finds the workers by word of mouth and admitted he did not verify whether they were in the United State legally, court records said. He also admitted to paying the workers in cash because they do not have identification cards.

But investigators learned that Santos earned the money for his illicit payroll by harboring illegal immigrants, according to Letten's Office. They discovered that he hid the money by writing checks to Diablo Construction, a supposed sub-contractor.

Bank records revealed that Santos wrote 12 checks to Diablo totaling $281,810 between April 25 and July 14, 2011, court records said. But agents found evidence that it was Santos who cashed those checks at check-cashing businesses.

Diablo Construction is registered with the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office, but the company has no employees, assets or a bank account, court records said. The company also performed no work for Rendon Construction.

Santos faces a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervision after his released from prison, according to Letten's office. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 5.